Brake



Jan 12, 1932. E J. NICHOLSON BRAKE Filed April 2, 1929 2 Sheets-SheetINVENTOR EiJJkleholson/ WITNESSES W ATTORNEYS Jan. 12, 1932. E. J.NICHOLSON BRAKE Filed April 2. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 rlllfillll'lllllllfI 11/15/1111!!!)rlllll/l/lll/fldrv11/5/5511151111111155!$747471:Fair/lit!!! 'III, '11,, 1111111111111!!!INVENTOR I EJWZa-kolsow BY I WITNESSES ATTORNEYS hatented Jan. 12, 1932man a. meson-son, or srnncusn, new noun Application med a-p111 2,

This invention relates to an improvement.

in an automobile, designedand adapted to enable a driver to quickly,easily and effectually put the automobile under control in trafficemergencies arising while driving the automobile.

In its broadest aspect the invention contemplates the provision of anovel emergency brake control means, to supplant those now in generaluse on automobiles.

it is well known that a mobile, when in a trafiic situation requiring animmediate stop, instinctively pushes both the clutch and brakepedals-firmly down, and at the same time pulls upwardly on the steeringwheel. By so doing the driver is able to get increased leverage forpushing downwardly on the pedals. In the event of failure of the footbrake mechanism to operateeffectively, the driver reaches around blindlyfor the hand. or emergency brake lever, and so loses valuable time, andmay be too late to avoid a collision.

It is therefore the principal object of the present invention toovercome the above mentioned disadvantages, by the provision means toenable a driver to have controlover the emergency brakes withoutremoving the hands from the steering wheel.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides inthe particular construction, operat1on and combinations of parts,hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawingsin which- 1 Fi re 1 is a diagrammatic side: view of certain parts of anautomobile steering mechanism, and also of parts of an emergency brakemechanism constructed to operate in accordance with the invention,portions broken away.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, partly in elevation of the steeringmechanism and also showing cooperating parts of the brake mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a detail section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. v

Broadly stated, the invention consists of the combination of anautomobile steering mechanism of any preferred type modified driver ofan autof the shaft of a 1929. Serial are. senses to allow the steeringwheel to have movement other than rotatory movement, with any preferredtype-of brake mechanism, preferably including an emergency themovement'of the steering wheel to operas ate: the brake.

brake operable by Referring now more particularly to the drawings itwill be apparent been shown parts oi": a steering eluding a steeringwheel 10 secured as to the upper end ot a steering post that there hasmechanism in- I at 11 12. The

post 12 in the presentinstance beside having rotatory movement also hasaxial movement in a bushing 13 and a worm 1 The worm 14 is supported forrotatory movement in the usual manner by ball ranged in a housing thrustbearings 15 ar- 16. The lower end oi the post 12 is provided with alongitudinal groove 17 which receives a spline or key 18 on the worm 14.in order to allow the post 112 79 to move axially with respect and alsoto cause said worm the .post 14:, for the motion to a drag 'link ventionof a steering arm worm wheel in the housing eration thus far to the worm1% 14 to turn with purpose of transmitting 19 through the inter- 20connected with 21 arranged wit 16. The construction and opdescribed iswell known, with the exception of the mounting of the post 12. 8:9

for axial movement.

Thebrake mechanism, as stated may be of ably will include an internalexpansion type including a shoes 23, and a cam 24 which acts on ments ofthe shoes. 23 to force them tact with the interior surface of the anypreferred construction but which preferemergency brake of the drum 22,the abutinto condrum. 22

for the purpose of applying or setting the brake.

The cam 24 is operated by a lever 25 having operatively connectedtherewith linkage or a rod means, not shown. connected as at 27 with aported by the housing 16.

a bifurcatedarm 29 disposed within the housing 16. The furcations of thearm 29 are each pivotally connected as 31 slidably arranged for slidingmovement on the post post 12 has a shoulder 33 which is p at with ablock on a collar 32 arranged 12. The ositioned 26 and retractile springThe rod 26 is pivotally rock lever 28 sup- The lever 28 has 2t movablewith the lever 28.

-' steerin 'to encounter the collar 32 fora the latter to move with thepost 12. This movement of the collar 32 with the post 12 causes movementof the lever 28 in one direction and through the intervention of thelinkage or rod 26, lever and cam 24, the shoes 23 will be brought intobraking engagement with the drum thereby stopping rotation thereof forthe obvious urpose.

In order that the bra e may be set when it is desired to park theautomobile there is provided holding and releasing means operable inconjunctlon with the rock lever 28. The said means includes a ratchetsector 34 A pawl 35 pivotally mounted as at 36 on the housing coactswith'the teethof the sector 34 when the pawl is in its normal position.A rod 37 is pivotalsald rod extends through a bearing 39 carried by thepost tube 40 of the steeringcolumn. The rod 37 has a button 41. A coilspring 42 surrounds the rod 37 and has one end thereof in contact withthe bearing 39 and its op osite end in contact with the button 41. Itwill now understood that when the rock lever 28 is moved for the purposeof applying the brake, the pawl 35 will automatically engage one of theteeth of the sector 34, and in this manner the brake will be set. 'Whenit is desired to release the brake, the button 41 which Wlll beaccessible to the foot of the driver may given a slight pressure withthe toe of the oot a inst the action of the spring 42 which will disengae the pawl 35 thereby releasin the brake. t will be obvious that byprovid ing a loose spline or key connection between the steering post 12and'the worm 14, steerin safety will not be sacri be possible to carryout steering operations at times regardless of the position of the wheel10, which in practice will-be allowe -to move axially four or fiveinches. It will also be apparent that the steerin wheel and thereforethe post 12 may be moved downwardly without causing a similar movementto the collar 32. en the brake'is'released, thecollar 32 will be broughtinto enga ement with the shoulder 33 on thepost' 12 by the action of thebrake mechanism. 4

' .It is to be understood that the invention is not restricted topartsshown and described, as details of construction may be modified andrearranged without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scopeofwhich is limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I'claimz- 1. In a vehicle brake mechanism the comthat when y connectedas at 38 with the pawl 35, and

ficed, and that it will 1 the precise arrangement of bination of anemergenc brake, a service member, a shaft ment, a block movable with andwithrespect to said shaft, a lever havin sliding connection with saidblock, and H age between the lever and brake, said service member beingconnected with said shaft to cause longitudlnal movement thereof, tocause the movement of said block, lever and linkage, to op-- a leverhavin block, and lin and brake, said a pulling force thereby causing themovement of the block:

lever and linkage, and consequent operation of said brake. I

3. The combination with a vehicle wheel emergency brake, of steeringmechanism including a post having axial movement, and a steering wheelsecured to said post; a'block movable with and with respect to saidpost,a lever having sliding connection with said block, and linkage connectedwith the lever and brake, said post being moved axiallv by a pullingforce applied to the steering whee thereby, causing the movement of theblock, lever and linkage, and consetfuent operation of said brake, andfoot re easablemeans which coo erates with said lever to keep the brakeapp ied.

4. The combination with a vehicle wheel brake, of a vehicle steeringmechanism including a steering post having axial movement, and asteering wheel secured to said post; a block loosely mounted on said,post but movable with the post when the latter is moved axially in'onedirection and means operable by the movement of said block as the attermoves with post when the post is moved axially in one direction by ament of said steering wheel, for the purpose of ap lying the brake.

'5. he combination with a vehicle wheel brake including-a brakeoperating rod; of a steering Wheel post havlng rotatory and axialmovement, said post havlng a shoulder, a collar loosel 'mountedon saidpost, a rock lever, one en of said lever being connected with saidcollar by a sliding connection, the other end of said lever beingpivotally connected with said rod, said lever being operated to transmitmotion to said rod bythe movementof said collar caused by the engagementof said shoulder with said collar by the axial movement ofsaid post.

.6. The combination with a vehicle wheel brake including a brakeoperating rod; of a steering wheel post having rotatory and axialmovement, said post having ongitudinal movesimilar move- "rock lever,one end ment in an opposite said post which causes lar to move Y ing themovement its normal position. 1

a steering w junction tion with said able to release the ,icallycooperable with sai der, a collar loosely mounted on said post, a

of said lever beingconnected with said collar b a sliding connection,the other end of sai lever being, ivotally connected with said rod, saidlever ing operated to transmit motion to said re the movement oi saidcollar caused by the engagement of said shoulder with semi collar by theaxial movement of said post, and a holding and releasing device operablein conjunction with said lever,

7 the combination with an emeroy brake mechanism including a rock levergof e steering wheel post having rotatory end axial movement on said rocklever, said collar being loosely arranged on said post, and means onsaid post which causes movement oi soid collar to move thelever to?apply "the broke in response to the axial movement of said post in onedirection, said post hsvmg anal move ing the movement of said collar.-

8. The combination with an emergency 'a rock lever; of

axial movement, a, coilar a steering wheel post having rotatory andaxial movement, movement on said a coliar having relative rock lever,said collar being loosely arranged on said post, means on the lever toapply the brake in -resp0nse to the axial movement of said post in onedirection, said post having axial movement. in an opposite directionwithout causof said collar, and holdand releasing means operable inconjuncever, said lever being movbrake wh en said last mentiqned means1s released and said 'postis in 10.The combination with a steering wheelpost having axial movement, and a brake, of means operable in responsetothe axial movement of said ost to agplly the brake, said meansincluding a 1'00 7 ever and'holding and releasin means automatlev'er tokeep the brake applied, said last means including a ratchet elementmovable with 1e er, a

pivoted pawl which comets with aald I et element, a slidable connectedsaid direction without cansmovement of sa d col pawl, a sring acting onthe rod to urge 1t in one motion to eep the pawl engaged with theratchet element and said rod mg actuable to disengage t e pawl from theratchet eiement torelease'the firstmeans to release the broke,

g r EARLE J; NICHOLSGNL movement, s collar having relative collar, and

